Northwestern Mutual - The Brase Financial Group Career Opportunities

Welcome to The Brase Financial Group
Since 1857, Northwestern Mutual has been helping people protect against financial risk and achieve financial security. The Brase Financial Group was established in 1905. Since then, a total of 10 managing partners have led the network office. Our associates have sold over $4.8 billion of life insurance.

Jennifer Brase, CLU, Managing Partner
The ambition of Managing Partner, Jennifer Brase is to make a positive impact on all associates and their clientele by creating an environment of desire, confidence, consistency, and positive results.

Education, motivation, and empowerment are the tools by which this office enables its associates to envision and fulfill a successful future to better serve its clients. Through a culture of mutual accountability, we continuously implement strategies that minimize concern and realize opportunity.

With 54 representatives, The Brase Financial Group is a strong, growing business as evidenced by its most recent financial highlights.

The mission of Jennifer Brase and The Brase Financial Group is to provide its clients with expert guidance and innovative solutions that are right for each client. Whether focused on personal finances, business needs or both, they help clients understand their financial goals and ensure they are providing them with the right guidance and products to meet their needs.

Northwestern Mutual Financial Network brings together the skills of representatives, the expertise of advisors and the technical know-how of a number of financial specialists to provide solutions for clients' financial goals and help you gain access to the products and services of a wide variety of organizations—each of which has a comprehensive understanding of a specific aspect of financial services.

And through The Network and The Brase Financial Group, here are just a few of the products and services available to your clients:

• Life, disability, and long-term care insurance
• Mutual funds, annuities, bonds, money markets, stocks
• Investment and advisory services
• Trust services, educating funding, retirement solutions
• Comprehensive financial analysis

Our Expertise
Just as your clients trust and rely on you to provide needs analysis and innovative solutions, you can trust and rely on Jennifer Brase, The Brase Financial Group and the Network to provide sound products and services for your clients.

You might conclude that no one person can be an expert in all financial matters. We agree. That's why we provide you and your clients with access to a nationwide network of representatives, advisors and specialists who will work with you to provide a full range of services.

At The Brase Financial Group, our expertise includes:

• Investment Services
• Advanced Planning
• Disability Income Insurance
• Employee and Executive Benefits
• Personal Needs Analysis
• Business Needs Analysis
• Estate Analysis
• Long-Term Care

Diversity
At The Brase Financial Group, we are committed to reflecting our community and seek talented individuals who share our core values. As part of our overall growth strategy, we are committed to building and fostering a diverse organization of network representatives and specialists. We do so without regard to gender, race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, disability or age.

We take pride in our unique strengths and the expertise we share with our clients. Our entire community can benefit from our expertise and can be rewarded with the advantages of the careers we offer. We will continue to be committed to reaching all segments of our community in which we live and conduct business.

Meet Managing Partner, Jennifer Brase
In October 2003, Jennifer Brase assumed Managing Partner responsibilities for the Brase Financial Group and is responsible for the office´s sales and service operations for the Western half of Missouri including Springfield and the Kansas City metropolitan area.

After graduating from the University of Nebraska with a business degree, Brase joined the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network - Omaha in September 1990 as a supervisor and trainer. She realized early in her career that she wanted to help other financial representatives. "I'm passionate about developing people and giving them the opportunity to be successful in our business."

During the four years she spent there, Chuck Scanlon, her managing partner, gave her a taste of what it took to run a network office. "Although my primary focus was new financial representative development, Chuck included me in any aspect of leading a network office I was interested in learning. I flourished because of this experience."

In 1994, she moved to the corporate office in Milwaukee where she worked as a training consultant for one year. "While I gained invaluable experience at the coporate office, I missed the daily, direct impact that I had in the field to develop and grow financial representatives."

In July 1995, she returned to the field as the director of training for the Derrickson Financial Group in Indianapolis. From there, she quickly grew into the role of assistant managing partner, where she oversaw training and development, managed financials, supervised staff and oversaw the college program.

In 1997, she became field director, a role at which she excelled. During the next three years, she supported four new managing director start-ups and helped to recruit 45 financial representatives to the network office.

In 1999, the college program under her leadership earned the No. 4 position in the Network. In the 1999-2000 awards year, she ranked as the No. 6 field director in the country. She credits her managing partner Lew Derrickson for showing her how to help representatives to grow and develop their businesses, but for also stressing the value of stopping and taking time to celebrate their successes along the way. "I was always really good at focusing on what's next, but Lew taught me how important it is to really stop and celebrate what you've accomplished."

Derrickson, along with Tim Bohannon, recognized Brase's leadership skills; they were the first to approach her about the possibility of her becoming a managing partner.

Jennifer Brase took their advice seriously and in September 2000, she started in the corporate office as an assistant director - agency development (ADAD), a position that has been traditionally known as a training ground for future managing partners.

"My experience as an ADAD was invaluable; it was like a master's program in leadership. It provided me with the opportunity to seek out the skills I'll need to become an effective leader. I was also exposed to the inner workings of the Northwestern Mutual corporate office and how its strategic direction affects the field. I saw firsthand how important strong leadership and a clear vision in the corporate office, as well as in the field, are to supporting and developing astrong field force and company as a whole."

In her role as managing partner, Jennifer puts all of her experiences to work as she strives for her objective to capitalize on the Kansas City market opportunity.

"My goal is to continue a culture of strong values where representatives take personal responsibility and challenge each other to grow, as well as give back to the community. My goal is to bring in the right people and to help them see opportunities in this career that they might not immediately see for themselves. My role is to challenge others to grow and to help bring opportunities for financial security to our prospects and clients in our marketplace."

An Opportunity to Succeed
Successful financial representatives with The Brase Financial Group experience tremendous pride and satisfaction in building a practice from the ground up. Their success is not a factor of luck or chance; it's the result of a productive work ethic, strong relationship skills and a level of professionalism second to none. A mission of doing what's right for our clients is the thread that weaves together our organization.

The goal is not to simply sell products, but to discover clients' needs and help to meet them. That means taking the time to understand each person's financial situation, values and goals.

This career offers:

• The ability to meet new people and positively impact families, businesses and communities as you help to achieve their goals and dreams
   
• An entrepreneurial opportunity to own your own business
   
• A high degree of support and training, plus ongoing curriculum for educational growth and personal development
   
• The flexibility of a career that allows you to focus on things of importance to you
   
• Earnings where you are directly rewarded for your efforts
   
• A strong team culture and the opportunity to work with a variety of specialists and advisors
   
• Exclusive access to a variety of world-class solutions and services, including life insurance from Northwestern Mutual
   
• Leadership and development opportunities
   

Your Development
You'll have assistance in developing your business and marketing plans, extensive training and coaching from certified trainers.

New representatives receive initial industry and sales training as well as mentoring and joint work programs for hands-on experience. They have access to on-line education resources for polishing skills and keeping up to date on industry information as well as exposure to opportunities for ongoing career education and advanced professional designations to increase their knowledge and reputation.

Your Business
We know that building your own business is difficult without help. As a financial representative with The Brase Financial Group, you will be in business for yourself, but not by yourself. The Brase Financial Group will provide you with support in your training and development, so you don't have to do it alone.

We take pride in our unique strengths and the expertise we share with our clients. Our communities can benefit from our expertise and can be rewarded with the advantages of the careers offered through the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network.

If you're ready to be your own boss, set your own hours and make a positive impact on people's lives everyday, then turn your dreams into reality and find out what a career as a Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Representative with The Brase Financial Group can do for you.

Discover your potential when you join our team.

The Benefits of Your Success
Your career as a financial representative is what you make of it. You have the freedom to balance your hard work and determination with your personal goals. In the beginning of your career, it takes a tremendous amount of time, energy and commitment to earn the flexibility and financial rewards you will enjoy later on. You can achieve financial independence and have a positive impact on your clients, your family and your own community.

Income
A financial representative's income potential is virtually unlimited. Earnings are directly related to sales results and client relationships. Financial representatives are compensated through commissions, renewals and bonuses.

• Our top producer group, The Forum, had a median gross income of over $410,800 in 2004.
• First-year, average gross income during 2002-2004 for financial representatives ranged from $38,900 to $83,900.

Benefit Package
Whether you are single or married with a family, Northwestern Mutual's benefit package will address the various stages of a full-time financial representative's life. These benefits include: Comprehensive Medical Coverage, Retirement, Flex Programs, Childcare/Eldercare, Maternity Leave, Group Life and Accidental Death Benefit, Disability Income Insurance. Your local network office can provide additional information.

Lifestyle
When you invest the time and hard work necessary to build a successful practice as a financial representative, you can enjoy the rare and envied reward of balancing work with your personal goals. You can arrange your schedule so you may have three or four appointments a day, and still have time to participate in your children's school programs, community involvement or leisure-time activities.

Build a business that allows you to schedule meetings to accommodate your clients' schedules and your own.

Impact
The goal of the Network is not to simply sell products, but to discover clients' needs and provide solutions to meet them. That means taking the time to understand each person's financial situation, values and goals. Every solution you implement may help secure the financial future of your clients, their families, their businesses and your community.

You can experience the rewards of a career in which you can have a daily, positive impact on people's lives, including your own.

Meet some of the members of our Team
Successful financial representatives with The Brase Financial Group experience tremendous pride and satisfaction in building a practice from the ground up. Their success is not a factor of luck or chance; it's the result of a productive work ethic, strong relationship skills and a level of professionalism second to none. A mission of doing what's right for our clients is the thread that weaves together our organization.

Career Opportunities
Through The Brase Financial Group, our financial representatives have advancement opportunities into management and specialist opportunities. Learn more about some of our team members:

David Yaktine, CLU, ChFC, Managing Director
David Yaktine works as Managing Director of a local network office. In addition to maintaining a strong personal practice, he plays a key role in the career development of other Financial Representatives.

Amy J. Baalman, Employee Benefits Specialist
Amy Baalman prepares a comprehensive analysis of a client's employee benefits program, and then designs a program to meet the unique needs of that company. Strategic Employee Benefit Services is a nationwide marketing program offered through Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Representatives.

Aaron T. Tanner, Field Director
As the Field Director, Aaron Tanner assists in the recruitment and selection process of candidates in order to build a cohesive unit of productive full-time Financial Representatives.

Ryan T. George, CLU, College Unit Director
As the College Unit Director, Ryan George leads a group of energized college interns.

Internships
Whether you know where your college education is taking you or you're still keeping your options open, you owe it to yourself to see if Northwestern Mutual Financial Network's Internship program with The Brase Financial Group is right for you.

As you learn by doing, you'll find that the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Internship Program is an intense and according to our alumni -- unparalleled learning experience. Expect the process to be rewarding, educational and an opportunity for you to narrow your career search.

Our internships provide a great chance for students to combine what they've learned in the classroom with a real-life look into what they could truly make of themselves. You'll have the chance to work in a real-world business environment and earn performance-based compensation.

The ambition of the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Internship program has been less to sell our financial products than to develop people. As a Financial Representative College Intern, you will enjoy the benefit of working with The Brase Financial Group where you'll receive outstanding guidance, superior support and quality expertise.

As full-time college students, interns generally work 15 to 20 hours per week developing business- and client-building skills. In most ways, our interns follow the same process for establishing their careers as our Financial Representatives.

Our internship offers you invaluable business experience that you will take with you far into your career. But that's just the start of the impact this can have on your future and your present.

Consider these benefits:

• Practical guidance in your career selection process
• The chance to develop your networking and business relationship skills
• Flexible work schedule
• Securities license, state licenses for life, health and accident insurance opportunities and a head start program for a career as a full-time Financial Representative
• Compensation in the same manner as a full-time Financial Representative.
• Actual business experience for your resume.
• Test drive the Financial Representative career.

Regardless of what you do after graduation, you'll have a foundation of skills and knowledge to build your career upon. One out of three former interns becomes a full-time Financial Representative upon graduation. These graduates have built a solid foundation for immediate and future career success.

The two-thirds who choose other career paths benefit as well. They launch their career with stronger business-building skills and a clearer sense of where they want their career to take them.

After completing the internship, the knowledge you have gained, coupled with the opportunity to work for The Brase Financial Group as a full-time Financial Representative, can lead you to a profitable and fulfilling future.

The Northwestern Mutual Advantage
Northwestern Mutual exists to help policyowners and clients protect against financial risk and achieve financial security. The company, with its subsidiaries and affiliates, offers insurance products, investment products and advisory services that address client needs for financial security and protection, capital accumulation, asset distribution and estate preservation.

With more than 350 offices across the United States, 3 million policyowners and clients, $18 billion in annual revenues and $133 billion in assets, you can count on Northwestern Mutual to help you build strong financial futures for your clients.

The company's tradition of "doing the right thing" has been honored and nurtured by successive generations within Northwestern Mutual and recognized in the industry and media.

• World's Most Admired--Northwestern Mutual is the "World's Most Admired" company in its industry, according to FORTUNE magazine's annual survey of industry executives and analysts. For Northwestern Mutual, it is the seventh year as the top life/health insurance company in the magazine's global survey.
   
• First in Customer Satisfaction-- For the third year in a row, Northwestern Mutual has earned the highest customer satisfaction score among U.S. life insurers, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index's (ACSI) survey. Northwestern Mutual's industry leading score can be found in the ACSI's fourth quarter of 2005 consumer study, focusing on retail trade, e-commerce, banks and insurance.
   
• America's Most Admired--According to the March 7, 2006, FORTUNE magazine survey, Northwestern Mutual has been named "America's Most Admired" life insurance company for 23 years.
   
• One of America's Top Ten Internships for 2006--"Northwestern Mutual Financial Network has made our Top 10 list for ten consecutive years, proving its internship program to be consistently among the best." Internship Informants™, Vault, inc., 20006.
   
• Selling Power's 50 Best Companies to Sell For--Northwestern Mutual was ranked as the 2nd best and 4th largest service company (November/December 2005).
   
• Financial Ratings--The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (Northwestern Mutual), the nation's largest direct provider of individual life insurance, according to statistics compiled from A. M. Best data, has always received the best possible insurance financial strength ratings from the four major rating services: Standard & Poor's (AAA), Fitch Ratings (AAA), A. M. Best (A++) and Moody's (Aaa).
   
• Top 100 Employers--Ranked 22nd in The Black Collegian's "Top 100 Employer and The Majors in Demand" for the Class of 2005.
   
• Largest Direct Provider of Life Insurance--According to statistics compiled from A. M. Best data, Northwestern Mutual is the largest direct provider of life insurance.
   
• Community Support--The Northwestern Mutual Foundation supports nearly 1,500 schools and nonprofit organizations each year. Last year, the Foundation contributed nearly $13 million ($12,534,005) in national and Milwaukee-area grants.
   
• 2006 Dividend--Northwestern Mutual's overall dividend payout to policyowners for 2006 is expected to be $4.27 billion, an increase of $360 million, the largest single increase in company history. This ongoing success, fostered by the company's tradition of "doing the right thing," has been honored and nurtured by successive generations within Northwestern Mutual.